


Julian Bashir: The Amazing, Gender-Changing Wonder Kid

by ThisWasntTaken



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Aliens Made Them Do It, Character Study, Fluff, Gender or Sex Swap, Happily Ever After, Honestly just fluff disguised as plot, Mentions of Internment Camp 371, Mentions of Rape, Other, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 00:51:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6217060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisWasntTaken/pseuds/ThisWasntTaken
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One day, I wondered how Julian and Garak would react if they suddenly switched genders. Here's what happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Julian Bashir: The Amazing, Gender-Changing Wonder Kid

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Star Trek fanfiction; be gentle.
> 
> Some notes on Cardassian culture/biology:  
> 1\. I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I believe that Cardassia has three genders. Anything beyond this is explained in the fic.  
> 2\. I believe that Cardassia is a matriarchy, stemming from the Cardassian belief that men are not good at STEM fields. This generally coexists with a belief that the gender in question is not as competent on the whole, so Cardassia is probably a (fairly strict) matriarchy.
> 
> Other Cardassian language/biology (the word prUt, which is essentially "penis") comes from Tinsnip: http://tinsnip.tumblr.com/post/67613563632/okay-so-i-just-read-your-ticks-fic-and-wow-that
> 
> On the usage of "thirteen noon": the Bajoran day has 26 hours in it, so midday (noon) would be 13 hours from midnight. That means that, in military time, noon is 1300 and the minute before midnight is 2559 (supposing that there are 60 minutes in the hour).

Garak has always been a flirt. He never said, but Julian got the impression that the Cardassian found flirting to be a pretty good method of gathering information. So, Julian hardly noticed when Garak’s flirting intensified. Some things he noticed, but Garak had gotten him so accustomed to the affections so slowly that Julian just found it to be slightly odd, rather than how strange it would have been if O’Brien or even Dax had done the same thing.

 

For example, years into their friendship, the replimat was still their favorite place to spend time together. Julian had his hands on the table, trying to make Garak see the imaginary diagram he was creating of his childhood room (Julian had complained, not for the first time, of the Spartan way the Cardassians lived—and hadn’t it been fun to explain Sparta to a Cardassian?). When he finished, Julian kept his left hand on the table and picked his fork back up with his right hand. He was a little surprised when Garak took Julian’s hand into his own, but (as Garak did when he wanted things to seem normal) the Cardassian continued to speak as if nothing were happening. Julian figured it wasn’t that important—it’s not as if he were being groped—and there was no way he’d get a straight answer from Garak, so he didn’t even bother asking.

 

Thinking back, Julian understands that this was all leading up to something. The hand holding became a common occurrence, which led to Garak hugging Julian goodbye after their lunches, which led to Garak giving a flimsy (even to Julian, who was not nearly as good at spotting a lie as Garak) excuse to come to Julian’s quarters after Julian’s shift. Julian and Garak worked mostly the same hours, and many of Julian’s underlings were Bajoran (though they had gotten more or less used to Garak’s presence on the space station, they still didn’t appreciate him being in the same room as them), so Garak visiting Julian at work was a non-option. Still, they were having lunch on Tuesday, so it wasn’t as if the exchanging of poetry were _that_ important. Julian could enlighten Garak with Frost just four days later, and Garak could teach him all about his duty to the state in rhyming form then. But when the idea of a poetry exchange was suggested, Garak said that he would stop by Julian’s quarters after he closed up shop. Julian saw no real reason not to, so he agreed.

 

Those nighttime visits became more common, and one night, Garak kissed Julian goodnight. Suddenly, it all became clear, and Julian avoided Garak for three days while he figured out how to handle it. On the fourth day, Garak had apparently had enough, because he came into the infirmary. The moment they saw Garak, all of Julian’s nurses went on lunch break.

“Ah, Garak. I’m truly sorry that I had to cancel our lunch; I have a lot of paperwork to do, as most of the crew are due for their yearly physicals.”

“Julian, it appears as though I have offended you.”

“I just—”

“Have I crossed a line? Is it perhaps one that can be uncrossed?”

“I never realized that you…” Julian trailed off. “I probably should have. It all makes sense now, though that is how things tend to work between us: I understand what was happening once it’s over.”

“It is true that I would like to be someone you like, and I would like to be able to touch you and perhaps even kiss you, but if that is not something you are willing to have with me, then I will take whatever you are comfortable giving.”

“I just need time to figure out what exactly it _is_ that I’m comfortable giving,” Julian sighed. “I like you, Garak. I really do, and sometimes I even think you’re trustworthy. I just think that subterfuge isn’t the best way to start a relationship. I know honesty is hard for you, but I think this would have been a lot easier for me if you had just been straight with me.”

“I apologize, Julian. Truly I never meant—”

“That’s just it, isn’t it? It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission,” Julian said. “That can’t be how relationships _work_ , Garak. Not with me, anyway.”

“I see that you still need time to sort this out. Shall we also cancel our literary exchange on Friday?”

“I’ll let you know by Friday,” Julian said.

 

Julian actually _had_ become swamped at work, as most of the crew _had_ come due for their yearly physicals—it had gotten so bad that he actually forgot what day it was, instead just changing into his sleep clothes as soon as he got home so that he could be up early the next day for more physicals. This all meant that Julian never got back to Garak on whether or not they were cancelling, so at twenty-one hundred hours on Friday, his door chime rang. Sighing, Julian bid whomever it was to enter.

Garak seemed slightly surprised at the still-unbuttoned sleep shirt, but just said, “Well, I suppose it’s no worse than that awful uniform.”

“Is there something I can do for you?”

“Did you cancel our exchange without telling me?”

Julian looked confused and then asked, “Is it Friday already?” At Garak’s nod, he continued, “Oh, thank heavens. That means someone else has to perform and report on the physicals. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this happy about a weekend.” At the suggestion that the Cardassian would be staying a while, Julian began to button his shirt, “I’m sorry about the apparel; I was just about to turn in.”

“Should I leave?”

Julian sighed, “I can’t just avoid you forever—the station isn’t big enough for that. Besides, sometimes meeting with you is the only thing that reminds me what day it is.” He laughed and motioned to his current attire, “Clearly.”

 

They fell back into their routine: lunch on Tuesdays, literature on Fridays. Until Garak got arrested for trying to destroy the Great Link, anyway. Still, on Tuesdays around lunchtime, Julian visited Garak and they ate together.

About four months in, Julian said, “It’s a shame, you know.”

“What’s that?”

“That you got yourself arrested when you did. The next time you came over, I was going to kiss you.”

“Well, my dear boy, that thought will just have to hold me until I am released.”

 

*****

 

This is all to say that the relationship Julian has with Garak has never been easy. They’ve managed pretty well, though—at least in part because the outward appearances of their relationship haven’t changed much at all. Garak isn’t fond of public displays of affection, so (as far as Julian knows, anyway) no one really knows about their relationship. Julian knows that the trials of dating a Cardassian will always remain, but he can’t help that he feels safe with Elim. Shortly after they return from their imprisonment in Internment Camp 371, Garak and Julian begin to share quarters in every way but officially. Perhaps this, too, was Elim’s subterfugal personality rearing its head—Julian doesn’t know. He just knows that they didn’t discuss it, with each other or with anyone else; it just happened.

 

***

 

Julian usually wakes up to the sounds of Garak getting ready, but today is different. Today, Garak intentionally wakes Julian.

“My dear, wake up.”

“Mmm,” Julian shifts, still mostly asleep. “What is it?”

“Something seems to have happened to you, dear boy.”

“What?” Julian asks, confused and slightly annoyed. Couldn’t this have waited?

Garak takes Julian’s right hand and places it on Julian’s chest, which feels strange somehow. Julian opens his eyes, and…those are definitely breasts. Kicking the covers off himself, he looks at his whole body to find that he is completely female.

Hyperventilating, on the verge of a full-blown panic attack, he calls Sisko to his room.

 

“You have to go. You can’t be here when he gets here,” Julian says, pushing on Garak.

“I’m hardly dressed to be running around the habitat ring, and I’m not certain I should leave you alone,” Garak says. “I’m going to get dressed, and then I’ll get you something to wear, alright? If worse comes to worse, these closets are made to fit an adult Cardassian.”

“Even you don’t trust you,” Julian retorts shakily.

“I’ll forgive that because of your present situation,” Garak smiles cheekily. He gets dressed quickly, just presentable enough to head to his own quarters to get properly dressed. Before he leaves, he places his hands on Julian’s shoulders, then drags them down to his wrists. Starting under Julian’s arms, he does the same thing, going down one leg to his (her?) feet.

“What _are_ you doing?”

“I, my dear, am a very good tailor,” Garak plants a kiss on the thigh he’s knelt in front of, stands to kiss Julian’s mouth, and then heads out, taking a route to his quarters that is longer but which provides less chance of running into Sisko. Maybe when this is over, Julian will figure out how much Garak’s odd actions calmed him, or maybe one day the Cardassian will tell him (indirectly, of course).

 

Julian is standing in front of his closet, trying not to go back to panicking, when the door chimes.

“Come in,” Julian says, and turns around. Ordinarily, he’d be embarrassed that he’s still in his pajamas, but now he has better things to worry about.

Kira, Dax, and Sisko come in. Julian is focused on Sisko, who seems mostly confused at the woman in front of him. “Dr. Bashir?” Sisko calls, as though he isn’t speaking to the woman his eyes are glued to.

“Unfortunately, Captain, that’s me,” Julian answers.

They all look surprised, but Kira is the only one that voices it (that’s Kira, though).

“How did this…?” Sisko asks. “I didn’t know you were planning a sexual realignment surgery.”

“I wasn’t, Captain. This…just happened,” Julian exhales loudly, gesturing to himself. “I just woke up like this.”

“How could that happen? What could do that?”

“I really wish I knew,” Julian says, sitting on the couch.

 

The door chimes again, and Julian invites them in.

“My, my. You said you had summoned the Captain, but I didn’t realize the cavalry would arrive,” Garak raises an eyebrow. He seems unperturbed, though, airily holding clothes in front of Julian and either tossing them back over his arm or placing them onto the couch next to Julian. The only one who really seems bothered by any of this (besides confusion on everyone’s part) is Kira, and that only happened when Garak walked in.

“We’ll get you a medical uniform as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can borrow some from your female nurses and doctors,” Sisko says.

“I can’t go to work today, Captain.”

“Why not?”

“Besides the fact that I’m _freaking out_ , I’d cause a commotion. People would pay more attention to me than to the patients.”

“Alright. But I expect you to be back in the infirmary in the next few days, male or female.”

“Understood.”

 

“There we go. That should do it,” Garak says. “You’ll have to have one of the ladies show you how to wear the bra, but do come to me if it doesn’t fit. I’m a fine tailor, but even the best miscalculate _sometimes_.”

“Thank you, Garak. What do I owe you for this?”

“Because you’re going through something frightening, and because I like you, this one is… what’s that Terran saying? ‘On the house?’”

“Thank you.”

“But! You can’t count on this being the only day you’re female. You may want to pay me a visit tomorrow and pick something out yourself.” Then, quieter, “Maybe this will improve your clothing choices.”

“I hope it ends _soon_ ,” Julian says.

“Perhaps it can be character-building. If you were Cardassian, I’d expect that you’d already be over it.”

“Well, I’m not Cardassian.”

“I know. Humans are squishy, physically and emotionally,” Garak acknowledges. “Regardless, can I count on our lunch today?”

“I’ll have to see,” Julian says.

“I won’t say I’m not disappointed, but I do understand. Something happened to your body without your wanting it to, so you’re upset.”

“It’s almost like rape,” Kira cuts in, like she can’t see how Garak sympathizes with Julian but not with Bajoran rape victims.

“Right, because Cardassians could never understand how horrific a thing rape is. Why, if they did, they might just use it to break the spirits of those they’re occupying.”

“You’re saying that Car—”

“I am saying, Major, that the Cardassian government doesn’t let anything happen unless it benefits the state.”

“Can we focus on _me?_ Not that I don’t love your constant bickering—and your comparing my situation to rape—but I do have a bit more of a pressing issue than what Garak may or may not have done in the past,” Julian interrupts.

Kira looks like she wants to explode on Julian next, but she grits her teeth and sighs.

“Benjamin, I think I can handle this. You and Kira should head on to Ops,” Dax offers.

“Alright. Major,” Sisko nods. “Doctor, hopefully this will be over soon.”

“Thank you.”

Kira, Sisko, and Garak all leave, and Dax comes over to the couch.

 

“How are you?” Dax asks.

“I don’t know. It all feels so surreal; I can’t even believe this is happening.”

“Garak seems to be taking it well,” she says.

“What?”

“Please, Julian. You’re hardly subtle.”

Julian sighs. “He is taking it well, I suppose. Better than I am.”

“Well, it’s not his body that’s playing tricks on him. I’m sure that, as long as this doesn’t somehow end up hurting you, he’ll be fine with however you look.”

Julian laughs, “Well, at least as long as I’m pretty. It might be a touch early to say we’re definitely together no matter what.”

“You made it through an internment camp together. I don’t know how much worse conditions can get.”

“They’re looking pretty bleak just about now,” Julian sighs.

“Is this because you’re a woman?” Dax asks. “It’s awfully twenty-first century of you to think of ‘female’ as ‘worse.’”

“No, it’s not that I’m a _woman_ , specifically. It’s that I’m not me,” Julian pauses, struggling for words. “You might be best able to understand this, as a Trill. Have you ever felt like your body wasn’t your own? Like you didn’t have any right to be there?”

“I felt that way for much of the time that I was Verad Dax,” she confirms.

“Right! So it’s like you’re you, but you’re not,” Julian says. “I love women as much as the next person—maybe even more—but I am not one. I don’t think I ever knew it was so different. Even the way I hold my body feels different.”

“It is different. You’ve never made yourself small before, but you do now, like you hope no one will look at you,” Dax says. “You’re a beautiful woman, but it’s clear that you’re uncomfortable.”

“Your first host was a woman, right?”

“She was. Lela.”

“What was it like, when you got a male host?”

“It was an adjustment. Fortunately, like your culture now, my culture has long seen little difference between the sexes.”

“So, you think I’ll adjust.”

“I think you have always been adaptable, Julian,” Dax encourages. “Besides, it’s not every day that someone gets a chance to see what another gender lives like. Women of your species have a few benefits in the bedroom; I’d suggest you check them out.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“You love it,” Dax winks, grinning. “Now come on. Let’s get you dressed. You have a lunch date to keep.”

 

“My dear, I’m so glad you made it,” Garak says as Julian sits down across from him.

“Well, I have to eat lunch, whether I do it with you or cooped up in my room,” Julian replies, but anyone could tell by looking that he is supremely uncomfortable.

“Why don’t we both go be cooped up in your quarters? You’re unhappy here.”

Julian looks torn, but after Garak reassures him that it’s no inconvenience, he agrees that he’d be happier without everyone staring at him (they aren’t).

 

On the way back to Julian’s quarters, Dax catches them.

“Julian,” she calls.

“Jadzia. Can I help you?”

“It seems you’re not the only one who mysteriously changed gender last night.”

“Who else?”

“Counting you? One person of every gender from each species on the station—at least the ones that have all the genders on board.”

“What about Ziyal and Garak?”

“Well, Ziyal is half Bajoran, so that could explain it,” Dax suggests.

“Or it could be the Cardassian third gender,” Garak adds, but in typical form he doesn’t offer any more than that.

“Third gender?” Julian questions. Sometimes prodding can get more out of Garak. Not this time, however. Elim just nods, so Julian turns back to Dax. “So, I’m not…”

“You’re not some kind of amazing, gender-changing wonder kid,” Dax laughs.

“And not a sideshow to be stared at while at work.”

“Just a victim of circumstance,” Dax assures him. “But we will need our Chief Medical Officer working to figure this out.”

Julian nods. “I think I may be up for returning to work tomorrow.”

“Wonderful. I’ll get some uniforms for you.”

 

“How do you feel, my dear?” Garak asks, setting a plate in front of Julian in his quarters.

“Better, now that I know I’m not the only one.”

“I’m not sure I understand why that makes you feel better.”

“If it were just me, it could have been anything, and the sample size was too small to figure anything out. Now, though, this seems planned, intelligent. I have more people to test, so more chances to discover what’s caused this.”

“I see.”

“Which, of course, means more chances to fix it.”

“I think it’s less of a problem than you’re currently making it seem.”

“How so?”

“There are hardly any differences between the genders, from what I know. Important differences, at least,” Garak amends. “Besides, we could make the best of it.”

“Elim—”

“We will, of course, wait until you’re more comfortable.”

“Jadzia said the same thing to me,” Julian shakes his head.

“Lieutenant Dax wants to have sex with you?”

“If she did, we would have done it a long time ago,” Julian laughs. “Unfortunately, no. She just suggested that I find out what it’s like to be a woman in the bedroom.”

“Well, I wholeheartedly agree.”

 

After the lunch, Garak goes back to his shop, and Julian catches up on paperwork from his quarters. Garak comes to Julian’s quarters after he closes the shop and continues to read _Slaughterhouse 5_ , Julian’s most recent suggestion. As usual, he stays the night.

 

The next morning, Kira comes in bright and early—even before Garak’s alarm has gone off. She’s saying something as she comes in, but Julian is awakened by Garak pulling him closer in alarm (though Cardassian hearing seems to be less sensitive than human hearing, Garak feels vibrations much more keenly than Julian does).

“Well, I’m not certain if this is an enemy or not,” Garak states, staring at Kira (who is so shocked that she is totally still and quiet).

“Enemy?” Julian asks, settling into Garak’s embrace to go back to sleep.

“Major Kira is here,” Garak confirms.

Julian gasps and bolts into a sitting position, but a wave of nausea stops him dead. “Oh, hell. I feel awful.” He tries to reach over to the computer, but the nausea is so bad that he can’t. “Elim, will you call Jadzia and ask if anyone else whose gender changed is feeling ill? Also tell her that Kira is here, so if we die she should tell Odo what happened.”

“Certainly,” Garak agrees. Dax says that she’ll look into it and that today is a good day to die.

 

“Kira, I can feel the anger and betrayal rolling off you, but if you could please spare me the brunt of it for now. I really do feel terrible.”

Kira doesn’t answer. Instead, she just asks, “Are you out of your _mind_?”

“That might be better answered when I’m not on the verge of vomiting,” Julian replies, and Garak sits behind him and strokes his back.

“How long?”

“Around nine months, I guess? Something like that.”

“Specificity just won’t do for you, will it, my dear?” Garak teases.

“Who knows?” Kira asks.

“Who knows. Jadzia, at least,” Julian says. “Right, Elim. Jadzia knows. She told me that we were hardly subtle.”

“I would disagree. Major Kira keeps a very close eye on me, and she didn’t know.”

“Dax _has_ had seven lifetimes to sharpen her observational skills,” Julian decides.

“You do _know_ he’s a Cardassian, right?” Kira asks, like she can’t believe Julian knows and is still with Garak.

“What?!” Julian turns his face to Garak. “You told me that you were from the Gamma Quadrant! You lied to me? You’ve never lied to me before. _How could you?_ ”

“I only do what I think is best,” Garak vows.

Julian leans his head on Garak’s shoulder. “I am aware he’s a Cardassian. While I don’t know exactly what he’s done in the past, I have an idea of what it probably involved. I know he tortured people, I know he was proud of his reputation, and I’m pretty sure he took at least some degree of pleasure in it. I know that he seems perfectly willing to join and leave the Obsidian Order as it suits him, and I know he’s tortured people he was close to in the past. Honestly, I’m only around ninety percent sure that he wouldn’t torture me if he was told to. But I also know that he has never done anything he knew I wasn’t okay with. I don’t know if people change. All I know is that love is a strange power, and it does strange things to people.”

“He’s lied to you before. He could be lying about his feelings for you!”

“I can only assure you that I am not,” Garak says. 

“Would you _leave?_ ” 

“No, he’ll stay. And I’d be much more likely to agree with you if he ever told me he loved me. I don’t believe eighty percent of what comes out of his mouth, especially if he’s willing to elaborate on it. But he’s never _behaved_ dishonestly with me,” Julian says.

“That you know of,” Kira corrects.

“I don’t know where this is going, if we’re a together-forever kind of couple, but I am a grown up. I get to make grown-up decisions, like whom I sleep with or whom I spend time with. Right now, I choose Garak.” Julian grabs Garak’s hand and returns the smile he gets before turning back to Kira. “Tomorrow, next week, next year: who knows? But that doesn’t matter, because I get to make those decisions, because I’m a big boy—well, right now I’m a big girl. Whatever.”

“I’m just worried that my friend has lost his mind. Or maybe you’re being manipulated. He’s _Cardassian_ , Bashir. They’re not exactly known for their strong moral character.”

“I know you’re concerned, Nerys, and that’s the only reason I’m not angry with you for criticizing the choices I make in my personal life. I appreciate your concern, and I will take your opinions under advisement, but once I tell you that I’ve noted your opinions, I don’t want to hear them again,” Julian says. “I’ll wait until I’m feeling better and you _really_ let me know how you feel, but I cannot guarantee that any exchange after that will be as civil as this one.”

 

“Good morning, Julian,” Dax greets, coming into his room.

“Does no one ring anymore?” Julian asks.

“We might, if you locked your door,” Dax laughs.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Julian says.

“You don’t lock the door?” Garak asks.

Julian rolls his eyes. “Are those the uniforms for me, Kira?”

“Yes. I don’t know if they’re messing with you, or if they really want to see you in these, or if this is genuinely all they’re willing to give up, but here.” Kira drops the uniforms on the bed and leaves.

Julian picks them up and, after looking at a few of them, says, “Jadzia. These are all skants.”

He shouldn’t have expected sympathy. Dax just laughs at him and shows him the hypo she brought.

Tilting his head for the spray, he comments, “I don’t think I’ve worn a skant since my academy days. They’re terribly impractical.”

“Well, you had great legs as a man. I didn’t spend a lot of time ogling you yesterday, but let’s hope it’s the same. I’ll try to get some trousers to go under them for you,” Dax says.

“Are you implying that you spent a lot of time ogling me when I was a man?”

Dax shrugs, “I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasures.”

“Then why have we never had sex?”

“That’s the opposite of simple. Relationships with Trill aren’t easy.”

“I’m dating a Cardassian, Jadzia.”

Dax laughs, “Well, that’s your problem.”

Julian returns his attention to the uniforms and sighs. “How long until I get some uniforms of my own?”

“Should be a few days,” Dax says. “The doctor filling in for you says that it’s the hormone shifts you’re going through that are making you sick. They’re not expecting you in until after lunch. Until then, rest. I’ll check on you later.”

 

“Computer, time,” Julian commands.

“Oh-six thirty-nine.”

“Twenty minutes until your alarm goes off,” Julian says, lying back down.

“I can think of a few ways to pass the time,” Garak smirks, running his fingers along Julian’s arm.

“So can I. I’m going back to sleep.”

“You, my dear boy, are impossible.”

Julian kisses him, “You love me.”

 

 

 

Julian busies himself over the two next weeks with trying to figure out what’s happened to him and the others whose genders have changed. On the second Tuesday after his transformation, he gets up at the normal time but only has five minutes to get ready before he’s called to the infirmary. He dresses quickly (in something other than a skant, thank Starfleet), and gives Garak a kiss before heading out. He thinks he hears Garak promise to bring him breakfast as he leaves.

 

He can hear the Ferengi whining down the hall, and he feels frustrated before he even gets through the door. If Quark or Rom called him down before breakfast for something dumb… But it’s not a male Ferengi that he sees when he walks into the infirmary. He goes through the mental list of every time he’s seen a female Ferengi and comes up completely empty. There isn’t one on the station, and he’s sure they’re not allowed to travel. So this must be…

“Quark?”

“Fix this!” Quark demands. “I can’t be a fe-male.”

“I assure you, Quark, I am working very hard to figure out what’s happening here and put us all back to normal.”

Quark grabs onto Julian’s shirt, “What do you need to figure it out faster? Latinum? Free drinks? Tell me, and I’ll make it happen.”

“Science can’t be bribed, Quark. It will take as long as it takes,” Julian says. “You may want to take the next few days off—the hormone shifts might make you feel ill.”

“Doctor, you have to fix it!”

“I’m going to go work on that right now,” Julian agrees. “Nurse, take his bloodwork and then send him on his way.”

 

When he gets into the lab, Julian uses the intra-station communication system to call into the infirmary anyone who woke up a different gender than they went to bed, “unless this is normal for your species.” He informs the nurses that they should do bloodwork on anyone who reports in and get it to him as soon as possible.

 

There’s a knock on the lab wall.

Julian turns in his chair, relieved to see a familiar face. “Ah, Garak.”

“You didn’t eat, so I brought coffee and oatmeal,” Garak says. He puts the offerings on the console, and places his right hand on the back of Julian’s chair and his left on the console next to the breakfast.

Julian puts a hand on each of the arms caging him in and sighs.

“Hard day already, my dear? I heard the announcement on the comm system.”

“Now one of every species with just males on board have changed, and I’m still no closer to figuring anything out,” Julian says. “I know several things it’s not: a virus, a bacteria, any sort of traceable DNA reconfiguration. But the DNA has been reconfigured! That’s how this happened, but the DNA is as if we’ve always been this way. Everyone’s DNA is exactly the same as it was before the change, with the sole exception of the chromosomes governing gender. I don’t know what’s happening!”

“I do wonder what the females of Morn’s species look like.”

Julian sighs, “Just hunt Morn down to see. I’m told they usually have hair.”

“My dear doctor, I do think you’re overworked.”

“I have to figure out what is happening here. If this pattern holds, then every species that only has females on board should switch in two weeks. I’d like to figure this out by then.”

“Very well. Can I at least count on our lunch today?”

“Of course.”

Garak kisses Julian’s head, “Very well, then. Good luck, dear doctor.”

“Thank you, dear tailor,” Julian smiles.

 

“Garak? What are you doing here?” Kira asks as Garak steps off the turbolift into Ops.

“Good day, Major. I need to speak to Captain Sisko.”

Sisko heads towards his office, Garak following.

“What can I do for you, Garak?” Sisko asks.

“Captain, I do understand that you think it’s somehow necessary to return these people to their original genders, but this should not be done at the expense of your Chief Medical Officer’s health.”

“Chief Medical Officers are offered one day off per week in Starfleet regulations.”

“Offered, not required. Dr. Bashir is normally very good about taking time off when he needs it, but he has been quite consumed with this problem lately. I can tell he’s becoming exhausted, but he spends all of his time researching. No matter what approach I take, I cannot convince him to use one of his days off.”

“And you think I might be a bit more persuasive.”

“It would be to the benefit of everyone on the station if he rested for a while. He would feel better, and he would do better work.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Sisko accepts.

“That’s all I ask,” Garak bows, turning to leave.

“Garak, wait. We haven’t had an opportunity to talk.”

“About what?”

“You know what, Garak,” Sisko says. “I don’t usually make the personal lives of my crew my business, but this poses a real threat. You have more than once informed Cardassia about goings-on on this station, and I want to be very clear that, while you are in a relationship with Dr. Bashir, that will reflect poorly on _his_ career, and his position here is already tenuous because of his enhancements. It’s time you made a choice, Garak: restoring your name with Cardassia or maintaining your relationship with Dr. Bashir.”

“I understand, Captain. Thank you for your comments.”

 

“You told Captain Sisko that I needed time off?” Julian demands, storming into Garak’s shop.

“Good morning, my dear,” Garak greets, looking up from the embroidery he’s doing.

“Don’t ‘dear’ me. My work is none of your business.”

“Your health _is_ my business, however,” Garak says, “and you are neglecting it.”

“I’m doing no such thing! I know my limits, Garak. Certainly better than you do.”

“Perhaps so,” Garak grants. “But you never used to sigh so much.”

“I’m _frustrated_ , not overworked. The solution to that is to continue working so I can find the answer!”

Garak puts the fabric down and walks over to Julian, placing his hands on Julian’s upper arms. “My dear, if you haven’t figured it out in the over-two-weeks that you’ve been working on this, then it seems most unlikely that you would figure it out in the one day you refuse to take off.” Garak kisses Julian’s temple, “Besides, don’t you think it’s been a terribly long time since you and I spent any quality time together?”

Julian sighs. “I do miss you.”

“And I you.”

He sighs again. “Fine.”

“Very good,” Garak says, moving to return to his embroidery. “What day are you taking off? I’ll close the shop and we’ll lie in together.”

“I guess tomorrow, if you can manage it.”

“That should be fine, yes,” Garak nods. “Should you be getting back to work, or would you like to take an early lunch?”

“Would it be terribly inconvenient to get lunch now?”

“You are never inconvenient, dear doctor.”

 

At Julian’s quarters that night, they mostly just sit around. Garak needs to finish this embroidery by the end of the week, and Julian is reveling in Earth literature (no loyalty to the state this time, no sir). However, Julian knows that Garak wasn’t talking about deep, meaningful conversations when he said they hadn’t spent any quality time together—they’ve still had many debates over meals since Julian’s gender change. At first, the idea of having sex while in this body horrified him, but he’s gotten used to this body’s intricacies, and he _does_ miss Elim. Still, it’s a big question mark on whether or not he can do that.

 

Then again, Julian’s never much liked not knowing things.

 

 

 

“You seem to be in an exceptionally good mood, Dr. Bashir,” Dax teases.

“Hmm. Do I?” Julian and Elim had had a lie in that morning, until well after thirteen noon, but they had to get lunch eventually, and Julian had some paperwork he’d been neglecting in favor of investigating the gender mystery. He’d gone to the infirmary to collect it and was on his way back when Jadzia caught up with him.

“You do,” Dax says. “More of a good mood than a day off should provide. On its own, at least.”

“What do you want me to say? I spent all of last night having amazing sex?”

“Yes!” Dax says. “Tell me everything.”

“What kind of girl do you think I am?” Julian asks. He winks at Dax and directs the turbolift to the stop nearest his quarters.

 

***

 

“Nerys,” Julian growls, days later, practically storming into Ops.

“That’s Major Kira,” Kira says, looking affronted.

“Oh, but I’m not here as someone who works for you. I’m here as a friend who’s rather chuffed that you told his _personal business_ to his _boss_!”

“You are _sleeping_ with a Cardassian spy! You have very sensitive information about the crew of this station, and Captain Sisko needed to know that you’re a potential security risk.”

“Do you think I’m some kind of idiot?!”

“Well, you’re sleeping with Garak, so I don’t know!”

“We’ve been together for almost a year, and we’ve been friends for years past that. I have never given him any information that wasn’t public knowledge. Hell, I’ve hardly given him information that _was_ public knowledge. You think I got a bit of prUt and now I’ll tell him anything?”

“I honestly don’t know what he can convince you to do,” Kira confesses.

“Clearly you don’t think much of me as a person, so I guess it makes sense that we were never very good friends,” Julian says. He directs the turbolift back to the infirmary.

 

 

 

Two weeks after the males change, the females do. It’s yet another Tuesday, and Julian thinks that maybe he’d be happier if he just stole a runabout and ran away. He could be a woman forever (although, the fact that he recently had a period leads him to believe that maybe that’s not true).

 

“I don’t get it,” Julian admits.

“It is quite perplexing,” Garak agrees.

“Why haven’t you changed gender?”

Garak almost shows surprise for a moment. “I have.”

“Garak, I may be pretty bad at knowing when you’re lying, but I’m pretty sure you are now.”

“Not at all, my dear. In fact, I’m surprised that you haven’t noticed,” Garak says. “Although, I suppose to the untrained eye, the third gender can look just like the gender they present as.”

“You’ve said that before. What ‘third gender’? I’ve seen my fair share of Cardassians…”

“Fairly recently—within the past few millennia, I mean—a third gender began to be born on Cardassia. We have a word for it, but both times I’ve said it to you, you’ve only said ‘third gender’ back to me. These people have the parts—internal and external—of both genders. They have a prUt and produce sperm, but they also have a uterus and produce eggs. They’re typically built small for males but large for females, and whereas males and females can have children of any of the three genders, these people can only have the third gender. It seems to be an evolution beyond gender. Typically, they pick a pronoun and live as one gender or the other.”

“So, you’re saying that you turned into the third gender.”

“No, dear. I’m saying I became male.”

“Wait,” Julian stops. “What? We’ve been having sex for almost a year, and you’re telling me I’ve been _misgendering you_?”

“Not exactly. I chose male pronouns when I was young. For most intents and purposes, I am male,” Garak says. “Especially now.”

“When?”

“A few days ago.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It didn’t matter to me. Unlike some of those affected by this, I have no problem living as any gender.”

“You don’t mourn your ability to get pregnant and give birth?”

“I’ve never considered children. Perhaps someone else would mourn that loss,” Garak acquiesces.

“Even a big, strong Cardassian?” Julian teases.

“Family is second only to the state for Cardassians.”

“But not to you?”

“And who am I to have children with,” Garak asks, “during my lifelong exile?”

“I don’t know,” Julian says, suddenly small. “Me.”

For the second time tonight, Julian manages to surprise Garak. “You never seemed to _want_ …”

“I don’t know,” Julian repeats. “The option had always been open, but it was never something I thought I needed to be happy in life.”

“I see.”

Though neither is quite certain why, this realization hangs heavy on the evening.

 

 

 

Julian never finds the cure. Several more weeks pass, various others change to any number of sexes, and Julian never discovers why. But it doesn’t much matter because about two and a half months after Julian changed gender, Garak again wakes him rather unceremoniously.

“What?”

“I’m glad to see your sunny disposition transcends gender,” Garak says.

“It’s too early for word games, Garak,” Julian groans, opening his eyes to glare at his partner. “What do you want?”

“Why don’t you find a mirror and see for yourself?”

Julian throws the covers off himself, but as he’s not particularly dressed, he doesn’t need a mirror to see what’s different. “I’m male again.”

“Indeed.”

“And you?”

“I appear to be back to my old self again as well.”

Julian kisses him, “It’s good to be back.”

“I wasn’t aware you had gone anywhere, dear.”

 

“Doctor Bashir,” Sisko catches him on the turbolift to the infirmary.

“Captain,” Julian nods.

“Good job figuring this out, but I would appreciate a heads-up in the future.”

“I always give you one,” Julian says. “I didn’t fix this.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I still don’t know what happened or why it stopped.”

“Very well, then.”

 

 

 

Julian devotes another week or so to figuring out why this happened before the answer presents itself in the form of first contact. An advanced, usually-non-corporeal species with no gender (or any record of the occurrence in their history) decided to see what the difference was and how behaviors changed based on the physical attributes of a body. They found the Ferengi most interesting and hinted at future studies on the homeworld. Sisko debates about informing them that such experiments may be considered rude but ultimately decides that experience is the best teacher.

 

 

 

“It’s nice to finally know what happened,” Julian comments as Garak sets a plate in front of him (today is their anniversary).

“Indeed. Although I do find myself a bit disappointed at the rather ordinary nature of the cause.”

“I’m mostly disappointed that it probably won’t land me in any medical journals,” Julian grins.

 

“Did you hear that Ms. Chalan had her child?” Garak asks.

“Oh, good for her!” Julian says. “No, I didn’t, although I’m not terribly involved with the Bajoran birthing process.”

“I understand it is a bit different than the human and Cardassian processes.”

“Hm,” Julian finishes chewing his bite. “Does it work differently for the third gender?” Then, as an afterthought: “Not that I know terribly much about how it works for females.”

“The process is generally the same,” Garak nods. “Various anatomical differences come into play, but it’s negligible.”

“You’re being awfully informative about this third gender stuff.”

“I only want you to have all available knowledge about me,” Garak says.

“Right. What is it you want to talk about?” Julian asks.

The picture of innocence, his partner asks, “Whatever do you mean?”

“I’ve known you long enough to know that you’ve been leading me towards a topic. What is it?”

“You’re quite bright, Julian. I think you’ll figure it out.”

 

“Do you _want_ to have kids with me?” Julian asks. The flicker in Garak’s eye is all he needs. “So that’s it, then,” Julian confirms. A pause, then, “Do you?”

“Are _you_ ready for children?”

“Not now, of course. I’m young, and we’ve only been together for a year.”

“But eventually.”

“Maybe,” Julian insists. “Is that going to be a problem?” Julian can tell the pause means Garak’s deciding whether or not to lie—this is a pause only found in Garak’s conversations with _him_. “If you’re going to tell me what you think I want to hear, just don’t answer me.”

“Julian, dear—”

“I mean it, Elim. This is important.”

“I don’t know, Julian. I don’t know that it will ever come to matter,” Garak admits. “You are an exotic butterfly: beautiful to look at but not meant to be kept.”

The sudden heat in Julian’s words doesn’t surprise Garak. “ _I_ decide if I’m meant to be kept.”

“That’s just the problem, isn’t it?”

“I _love you_ , you idiot. I’ve got no plans to go anywhere!”

“We are going to war, Julian—your people against mine. How would a Cardassian man pregnant with a human child look to Starfleet?” The conversation not going how he wanted it, he hopes to distract Julian for the moment.

“A pregnant Cardassian spy, nonetheless,” Julian laughs.

“Precisely.”

 

After a time, “I’m not asking you to get pregnant, though. At some abstract point in the future, would you want children with me?”

Uncharacteristically, Garak finds he has no desire to obfuscate any longer. “Julian, the strength of my desire to give you everything you want frankly startles me sometimes. But a child like me is not what you want.”

“You don’t decide that.”

“I haven’t _decided_ this, dear. I’ve observed,” Garak pauses. “You will eventually want to settle on Earth, where I or any child like me will be most unwelcome.”

“You can’t go to Cardassia, either. We could go somewhere together. It isn’t Earth that’s important to me; it’s the stability it represents. Sure, I don’t want that now; pioneer medicine and all that. I love my job—”

“And your job doesn’t love me.”

“But _I do_ , Elim. Can’t you see? I’m willing to work this out.”

“If you still feel that way after the war, I will follow you anywhere.”

Julian knows it’s a diversion, knows Garak will never admit to this honest moment later, knows that either one of them could easily die in this seemingly-inevitable war, but he also somehow knows that this is the “plain and simple” truth from someone who is perhaps _not_ a plain and simple tailor. If they make it out of this war, Julian knows Garak won’t have to be asked to come along—he just will.

**Author's Note:**

> Of course, after the war, Garak DOES return to Cardassia, but that's a story for another time.


End file.
